It’s easy to become stressed while working in a fast-paced environment with a long list of assignments that have strict deadlines. When you’re on a team, stress can build as you work through differences with others. It’s important to have healthy ways of coping with stress, so you can avoid burnout and unnecessary conflict.
Here are five ways to manage stress at work.
1. Stay nourished.
Your mental and physical health are interconnected. Going hungry throughout the day can weaken your mental and physical energy. And while eating sugary snacks and drinking caffeine can give you short-term energy, it can lead to a crash or worsen feelings of stress and anxiety. Eating enough healthy foods and drinking plenty of fluids is essential to managing stress.
Practice bringing healthy snacks to work, along with plenty of water. If you can, bring enough to share with your team. Keep the office stocked with healthy snack options and cold water. Not only will this help everyone to stay nourished, but it will also give people a reason to take a break and reward their hard work.
2. Focus on something else.
Taking breaks is essential to managing stress at work, but how you spend your breaks matters, too. While scrolling through social media or watching videos can take your mind off of work, it is usually only fulfilling for a moment and can lead to an unfocused, racing mind and cause you more stress when you return to work.
Instead, encourage your team to use breaks to focus their attention on what brings them satisfaction and helps them feel refreshed. Promote conversations about interests and hobbies, or ask your team to bring in their favorite books or movies to trade with others during their break. Use your time to read, pray, journal, have a meaningful conversation with a coworker or a phone call with a loved one.
3. Keep your workspace organized.
A cluttered, dirty workspace is sure to make matters worse when your stress levels are on the rise. Clutter makes things difficult to find, and the look of it can leave you feeling unsettled and overwhelmed.
Make sure you and your team clean up your space as you go to avoid a mess and impending anxiety. The act of cleaning and organizing itself can be calming. During times of heightened stress, pause and allow your team to have a few minutes each day to pick up trash, organize their workplace, wipe surfaces, and delete unnecessary files from their computers. A few minutes of light cleaning each day can save you hours of heavy cleaning and help reduce stress in the future.
4. Create a plan.
If stress is an ongoing problem in your workplace, you’ll need to find a way to deal with it. Meet with your team to find the root cause of the issue and create a plan to combat it. This may mean reconsidering your approach, shifting priorities, dropping unnecessary commitments or delegating work to get the overwhelming task out of the way.
Oftentimes, stress at work stems from uncertainty about expectations and roles. Be sure to regularly check in with your team. When new projects arise, clearly tell your team what the plan is and define what each person’s responsibilities are, so that everyone can have peace of mind and be on the same page.
5. Have fun.
In times of high anxiety, you may need to take time away from work and do things you enjoy. Whether as a group or separately, encourage your team to get out and do something fun and relaxing after work. Set clear boundaries and expectations for working after hours and limit the amount of overtime your team is putting in, especially in times of stress — and make sure you put this into practice yourself!
Oftentimes, time away from the workplace can give you a fresh perspective on how to manage your stress. Other times, you may realize that there was nothing to be stressed about in the first place. Either way, enjoying your life outside of work can help you refocus and see the situation for what it really is.
Managing stress takes a balance of healthy mental and physical practices, along with some problem-solving. Ultimately, remember that situations will come and go. At times, it may seem like stress is never-ending, but as you put your healthy work-life skills into practice, you will discover innovative ways to cope with stress for yourself and your team.